


Roman Holiday

by Forgotten_Peggy



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Jack is a photographer, Kath is still a reporter, Roman Holiday, Sarah is a princess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-06-14
Packaged: 2018-11-06 20:29:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11043735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Forgotten_Peggy/pseuds/Forgotten_Peggy
Summary: The newsbians Roman Holiday AU no one asked for but I wrote anyway.





	1. Chapter 1

To say that Sarah was excited to return home was the biggest understatement of the decade. She had originally been excited for her goodwill tour of the European capitals with her brother, but after days of publicity in London, Amsterdam and Paris, and now having just arrived in Rome, she couldn’t wait to get back to her home. She couldn’t tell anyone that, though, because as Princess it was her duty to look happy and put-together at all times.

“Davey, I don’t know if I can keep doing this,” Sarah confessed to her brother in their first moment of quiet in the last few days. “If I have to dance with one more ambassador or random man whose language I don’t even understand, I’m going to explode,”

“Sarah, you know we have to,” Davey took his sister’s hand, giving her a sympathetic smile.

“I know,” Sarah looked down. “Thank you, no thank you, all with sweetness and dignity,” she recited. It was the voice she used for these kind of events, the kind of fake voice only people who truly knew her could recognize.

“We have to,” Davey repeated quietly. “Here’s your schedule for tomorrow,”

“I don’t want to do this anymore,” Sarah confessed quietly, half to herself.

“Get some sleep, we have a lot of people to talk to tomorrow,” Davey said, getting up to leave the room.

“I can’t sleep,” Sarah said simply. “I’m not tired at all,”

“I’ll get the doctor to get you a sedative,” Davey said, forever patient. He knew better than anyone else how taxing their lifestyle really was.

Sarah flopped onto her bed, exhausted, not just physically but mentally as well. “I can’t do this anymore,” she repeated to herself. “I can’t keep pretending,”

“What was that?” The doctor asked, appearing in the doorway.

“Nothing,” Sarah replied automatically. “Leave me alone, I’ll be dead soon anyway,” So maybe she was being overdramatic, but after spending most of her life being so perfectly put-together, she deserved to break down once in a while.

“All I need is for you to give me your arm, Miss Jacobs,” the doctor said. “It’s a new sedative, it’ll calm you down and help you fall asleep so you’re well rested tomorrow,”

Sarah did as she was told, and the doctor quickly injected the fluid into her arm. “I don’t feel any different,” she confessed, almost wishing the sedative would work.

“It may take a while to take hold. Now try to get some rest,” the doctor said.

“Thanks, doctor,” Sarah said.

“It’s just my job, Princess,” he bowed a little before leaving her alone in her room.

Sarah was still wide awake. The faint sound of music drew her to her open window, and she stood there for a few seconds, taking some time to breathe in the fresh air. She envied the people out there, who were free to do what they wanted, and enjoy their lives. She wished she could be one of them.

Maybe she could be.

She turned to look at her closet for a second, contemplating the idea that was forming in her head. It was crazy, sure, but maybe it was just what she needed.

Sarah ran to her closet and quickly changed from the nightgown that made her feel like she was two hundred years old, into a simple blouse and skirt that made her feel a lot more free just by wearing it. Sticking her head out of her door, Sarah quickly ducked back out of sight from the guard who stood in the hallway. She paused for a second, thinking, before stepping out onto her balcony. By this point she was desperate. Desperate to get out. Desperate to get away.

Sarah took a deep breath before reaching to jump over onto the adjacent balcony. She regained her balance before jumping from there onto the rooftop next to it, landing with a soft thud. Before being caught, she ran, or as much as she could with the limited movement her skirt allowed, across the rooftop, before climbing down a tree to the ground. She was nearly free.

Dodging the view of people working in her country’s embassy where she was staying, Sarah power walked through the grounds. She was looking for a way to sneak out of the embassy when she spotted a small delivery truck. While the driver was unloading boxes, she snuck into the open back, ducking behind some remaining boxes.

Soon enough, she felt the truck start moving, but with the movements, she started to feel her eyes droop. With all of her excitement about finally escaping the confines of her embassy, Sarah had completely forgotten about the sedative, which was now apparently starting to kick in.

The truck stopping jolted her awake. Chastising herself for falling asleep, Sarah quickly jumped out of the truck. She crossed the street, narrowly missing a carriage that passed by. She leaned against a tree, yawning, before continuing to walk through the square.

Sarah’s tiredness got the best of her and she finally lay down on a bench, her legs and head heavy. “So happy,” she mumbled to herself, vaguely aware of a passerby pausing beside where she lay. “How are you this evening?” She recited subconsciously, half-dozed.

Sarah was barely aware as the woman leaned over her. “Hey, are you okay?”

She blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment if you actually want me to continue this haha.
> 
> Katherine is barely in this chapter but patience children, patience.
> 
> My tumblr is forgotten-peggy :)


	2. Chapter 2

“Hey, hey, wake up!” Katherine was leaving her friend, Jack’s apartment when she noticed a woman lying on a bench, seemingly drunk or drugged. She shook the woman’s shoulders, and she seemed to wake up.

“No, thank you,” the woman said, her language proper. She held her gloved hand up, from where she lay, “Charmed,”

“Charmed, too,” Katherine replied, still confused about the whole situation. The girl was rich, she could tell by her gloves, but Katherine had no clue why some rich girl would be lying out in public at this late hour. “Come on, sit up,” she said, attempting to pull the girl into an upright position, but she flopped against her side.

“You may sit down,” the girl said. Now that she sat up, Katherine saw that she was young, probably not much younger than her.

“You should stand up,” Katherine replied, but got no answer. “What’s your name?”

“Sarah,” said the girl. Sarah.

“Well, Sarah, do you have any money? You should get a cab home,”

“Never carry money,” Sarah replied. Well then. Katherine was running out of ideas.

“Here, take this, and get a cab,” Katherine said, handing Sarah some money she had on her. She looked back to Sarah, only to see that she had drifted off again.

Making up her mind, knowing that there was no way Sarah could back to her home tonight, wherever that was, Katherine hailed a cab. She wanted nothing more than to just go to sleep, she had a big day the next day, covering the press conference the Prince and Princess were to be at, but she saw no other option. It took her almost five minutes, but she eventually got Sarah into the backseat of the cab. She quickly told the driver her address, hoping the ten minute drive she knew it would be would magically be shorter.

As the car started moving, Sarah jolted awake again. She stared at Katherine for a few seconds, and Katherine tried not to make eye contact with her, until she spoke. “You’re really pretty, you know that?” Sarah asked. Katherine tried not to blush as she hoped the cab driver didn’t hear her.

“Umm, thanks?”

“People tell me that all the time, but it’s just because they have to,” With every word that came out of Sarah’s mouth, Katherine became more curious about this girl.

“Well, I think you’re pretty too?” Katherine tried to say, but it came out more like a question. They sat in silence for a few more minutes, and when Katherine looked over at Sarah again, she was once again asleep.

Katherine let Sarah sleep until the cab stopped, and she had paid the driver. “So happy,” Sarah mumbled as Katherine shook her awake. Again, taking way longer than it should have, Katherine eventually got Sarah out of the cab, and her the shorter girl lean on her shoulder as she made her way up the stairs to her apartment.

“Is this the elevator?” Sarah asked as they entered Katherine’s apartment.

“No, it’s just my apartment,” Katherine replied, trying not to take the comment too personally. She wasn’t very well off after she moved out of her father’s house, and Sarah was a very possibly drunk rich girl.

“I'm so sorry to mention it, but the dizziness is getting worse,” Sarah said. “Can I sleep here?”

“That’s the idea,” Katherine said, turning to take her coat and shoes off. She heard a thump, and turned around to see Sarah lying face down on her bed. “Come on, get up, see if you can get into these,” Katherine handed Sarah a pair of her spare pajamas.

“I’ve never slept in pajamas before,” Sarah said, her voice laced with wonder. “I always sleep in my silk nightgown, it’s most uncomfortable,”

Katherine was once again not sure how to reply to Sarah’s comment, so she simply turned around and grabbed herself a drink as Sarah got changed. She turned back around when she heard another thump, and found Sarah back face-down on her bed, only this time in the pajamas. She seemed to be asleep for good this time.

Sighing, Katherine dragged her small couch over from the edge of the room, until it was beside her bed. The noise didn’t wake Sarah. As gently as she could, she rolled Sarah off her bed and onto the couch, before placing a cushion under her head. Still, Sarah snored softly.

As Katherine got changed into her own pajamas, she hoped that Sarah would sleep through the night, but knew that with how drunk she had seemed, that she may very well struggle to wake her up. All she knew was that the next morning was bound to be interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter wasn't great but good things are coming !! The next part will be the day in Rome so woooo fun stuff
> 
> My tumblr is forgotten-peggy :)


	3. Chapter 3

Katherine awoke to the sound of the city clock striking repeatedly. Still half asleep, she grabbed her alarm clock from beside her bed. Noon.

“Oh my God, the Prince and Princess interview!” Katherine muttered to herself. She was so late, she knew her boss would probably kill her.

She got dressed as quickly as she could, leaving Sarah still dead asleep on the couch. It didn’t look like she would be waking up anytime soon. Katherine all but ran to the American News Service office, pausing only to say good morning to the secretary, Hannah, before knocking on her boss' door.

“Come in,” Pulitzer sounded angry. “You’re late,”

“Well-” Katherine didn’t even know what she would have said if he hadn’t cut her off.

“At this office, we start our days at 8:30, where have you been?”

“I was at the interview?” Katherine tried to say, but it sounded closer to a question. She had always been a terrible liar, and even worse when she was under pressure.

“The Princess was taken violently ill in the middle of the night and has had all of her appointments for today cancelled, the Prince too,” Pulitzer stated, handing a newspaper to Katherine.

“I overslept, it can happen to anyone,” Katherine said, but was greeted with stone cold silence. Unable to handle the uncomfortable silence, Katherine stared down at the newspaper she had been handed. The front page was covered in a large picture, with the headline: ‘Princess Sarah Taken Ill: Press Interview Cancelled’.

The picture for some reason looked oddly familiar to Katherine, until she realized where she knew the Princess’ face from. She was the girl who was currently drugged, asleep in her apartment. “Is this the princess?” She asked timidly, wanting confirmation.

“Yes, and take a good look, because you might be interviewing her someday,” Pulitzer responded, evidently still angry.

“Am I fired?”

“If you weren’t my daughter, you would be,”

Katherine knew she was on thin ice. She had to think of something to get her back into her father’s good books, so next time she wouldn’t be fired. Her thoughts returned to the Princess, who was still sleeping at her apartment. An idea forming in Katherine’s head, she looked up again to face her father.

“How much would a real interview be worth? Her innermost thoughts, an exclusive interview,” Katherine was making this up as she went, she just hoped her father would buy into it.

“With pictures, five thousand dollars. Why do you ask? How would you even get this interview? She leaves for Athens tomorrow, if she isn’t still sick,”

Katherine was stuck. She prayed her lies would be more convincing than they had been just minutes ago. “I plan to enter her sick room disguised as a nurse,” she said.

“Fine. Get me the story, and the money will be yours,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of short, but more good stuff coming soon :)
> 
> My tumblr is forgotten-peggy :)


	4. Chapter 4

 When Sarah woke up, she struggled to open her eyes, her head feeling heavier than usual. The light encouraged her, and she blinked a few times before fully opening her eyes. Looking upwards, it only took her brain a few seconds to realize that the ceiling she was staring at was not the one of her parlour in her country’s embassy, but an unfamiliar one.

She sat bolt upright, ignoring the blood rush to her head that made her dizzy for a few seconds. A quick glance around left her certain that she was no longer at her country’s embassy, and on second glance, she saw a woman standing a few meters away from her.

“Excuse me,” Sarah started tentatively, still unsure of what had happened and where she was. “Would you be so kind as to tell me where I am?”

The woman turned around. She looked interesting, Sarah decided, and beautiful, too. She hoped she hadn’t said anything questionable in the events that had led up to her waking up on this stranger’s couch. “Good morning, you’re in my apartment,” the woman said. “I’m Katherine Plumber,”

“Pleased to meet you, Miss Plumber,”

“You too, Sarah,” At the sound of her name, Sarah looked up. Not many people called her just Sarah, at least not in a long time, and without the word ‘Princess’ before it. The only people who called her Sarah were David and Les, who remained in their home country with their parents. It was nice, hearing this Katherine say her name. The only thing Sarah was confused about was how this girl knew her name. “You told me your name last night,” Katherine said, seemingly reading Sarah’s thoughts, but more likely reading her concerned expression.

“Did you bring me here by force?” This girl seemed nice enough, but Sarah really didn’t know her intentions yet.

“No, quite the contrary, actually,” Katherine laughed a little.

“What time is it?” Sarah asked, looking out the window and realizing it was well into the day.

“Just nearing one,” replied Katherine.

“Oh no, I must leave at once, before they send people to look for me!” Sarah exclaimed. She knew how protective her brother was, let alone the guards assigned to watch her.

“Wait, why do you have to leave so quickly?” Katherine asked.

“I haven’t the time, goodbye, Miss Plumber,”

“Why don’t you make time?” Katherine questioned. “You seem like you haven’t been in Rome long, why don’t you stay a day and explore the city?” Sarah started to weigh her options. She wanted more than anything to stay with Katherine and explore Rome, but she knew she had to get back to her responsibilities as the Princess.

“I’ll think about it. While I have a bath and get dressed,” Sarah hesitated for a moment. “And after that, I’m afraid I will need a little money to catch a taxi back home,”

“Sure, I’ll leave you alone for a bit, the bathroom is in there,” Katherine said, pointing towards a door in the corner of the room, before leaving.

Once she was outside her apartment, Katherine walked briskly to the nearest telephone, quickly dialing her best friend’s number. “Jack, hello, it’s Katherine,” she greeted.

“What is it? I’m kind of busy,” Jack said.

“I need you to come to our usual cafe, I need you there in five minutes,” Katherine said.

“I told you I’m busy,”

“Look, Jack, I need you to bring your camera, an inconspicuous one if you have it. Look, this is front page stuff, a five thousand dollar story with pictures, do you want that kind of money?” Katherine was all but begging.

“Fine, I’ll be there,” Jack conceded.

“Thank you! Now I’ve got to go, I’ll see you soon,” Katherine quickly hung up and returned to her apartment.

Katherine found Sarah by the window, looking out at the city. “It really is beautiful, all of the people, so busy with their lives,” Sarah said, noticing Katherine’s presence.

“So, are you coming for that tour?” Katherine asked.

Sarah took a deep breath. “Why not,” she smiled.

“Well then, come on,” said Katherine. “First, to a café for lunch, I’m afraid it’s a little late for breakfast,”

“So, do you have a job? Aren’t you supposed to be working today?” Sarah asked as they began to walk through the streets of Rome.

“Yes, I’m a, a writer, actually, but I’m declaring today a holiday!” Katherine grinned, and Sarah smiled back. They arrived at the café soon after, and two croissants and a very strong coffee for Katherine later, they were fed

“So, where to next?” Katherine asked.

“The salon,” Sarah said. “I’d like to cut my hair. Today is the start of a new me!”

“It’s just over there,” Katherine pointed. “Here, take some money, I’ll wait outside,”

Sarah disappeared into the salon, and Jack quickly appeared at Katherine’s side.

“Okay, what is going on, and why does the girl with you look like Princess Sarah?” Jack asked, clearly confused.

“Because she _is_ Princess Sarah, but you just call her Sarah. I found her drugged in the park last night, and I brought her back to my apartment, now I’m taking her on a tour of the city. What I need you to do is take pictures. Pulitzer promised me five thousand dollars if I get this exclusive interview, with pictures,” Katherine said quickly. “Do you have a camera?”

“Yeah,” Jack said, showing her his camera that was disguised as a lighter.

“Perfect, now, she thinks I’m just a writer, you must not let her know you are a photographer, or she may get suspicious, okay?”

“For sure,” Jack said.

“Good, because here she comes,” Katherine said, spying Sarah from the corner of her eye.

“Do you like my new haircut?” Sarah asked, showing off her hair, which was now cut to just above shoulder length, as opposed to her previous hair which had almost reached her back.

“I do,” Katherine said. “Sarah, this is my friend, Jack,”

“Pleasure to meet you… Sarah,” Katherine glared at Jack as he hesitated, and he just shrugged in return.

“Okay, now where to next?” Sarah asked.

 _Time to get a front-page article_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the irregular updates, I have exams for the next two weeks.
> 
> My tumblr is forgotten-peggy :)


	5. Chapter 5

Being as rich as she knew she was, Sarah felt slightly bad about Katherine paying for her breakfast and haircut, but that didn’t seem to faze Katherine too much as she offered to buy Sarah some gelato. She was so used to people gifting her things such as cars and miscellaneous trees, and being told by her brother to decline them, that being offered small things like gelato from Katherine was as refreshing as the gelato itself.

“Come on,” Katherine said, “Jack said we can borrow his scooter to get to our next destination,” As Jack got into a taxi behind them, Sarah climbed onto the scooter behind Katherine, tentatively wrapping her arms around her waist. “You’re going to need to hold on tighter than that if you don’t want to go flying,” Katherine laughed a little. Sarah reddened a bit before tightening her grip, just in time before Katherine pressed the accelerator and Sarah jerked forward.

She relaxed after a few seconds, and soon couldn’t help but grin and laugh as they whizzed along. She couldn’t believe that she was actually doing this, that she had actually run away and that she was actually taking a whole day to explore Rome with two strangers.

They arrived at their destination shortly, though where they actually were was still a mystery to Sarah. “Come with me,” Katherine took Sarah’s arm, leading her down a few small streets and into a small, dark building. Sarah was beginning to get nervous, and almost jumped out of her skin when a figure appeared in the doorway, before realizing it was just Jack.

“Where are we?” Sarah asked, looking up at the large stone carving of a face in the wall.

“The Mouth of Truth,” Katherine said, motioning to the gap in the wall where the mouth was. “The legend is that if you’ve been lying, and you put your hand in there, it’ll be bitten off,”

“What a horrid idea,” Sarah commented, half knowing it was just a legend, but half fearing that it would be true.

“Let’s see you do it,” said Katherine. Sarah slowly, tentatively moved her hand towards the mouth, as Jack lit his cigarette for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

At the last moment, Sarah lost her nerve and drew her hand away from the mouth. “Let’s see you do it,” She repeated Katherine’s words.

Katherine nodded, moving her hand toward the mouth. She slid her hand into the mouth, up to her wrist, before letting out a cry. Sarah, immediately worried, pulled Katherine’s hand back, only to see that it was completely unaffected.

“You’re perfectly alright! You scared me!” Sarah exclaimed.

“I’m sorry, it was just a joke,” Katherine looked genuinely apologetic. Sarah laughed, easing Katherine’s worry, and she smiled in return.

“There was one more place I had in mind to visit, before it’s your choice again,” Katherine said. “Come on,”

Once again grabbing Sarah’s hand, Katherine led her through the streets of Rome, towards a once again unknown destination. They turned another corner, and Sarah audibly gasped, for towering in front of her stood the Trevi Fountain.

Katherine couldn’t help but smile seeing Sarah’s expression. It had been so long since she had seen such innocent wonder on someone’s face. “Here,” she handed Sarah a coin. “Toss it over your shoulder, into the fountain, and make a wish,”

Sarah grinned, taking the coin, and walked over to the fountain. She took a few seconds to think about her wish, before turning and tossing the coin over her shoulder.

“What did you wish for?” Katherine asked as Sarah returned to her side.

“I can’t tell you, then it won’t come true,” Sarah laughed.

“Fine, so, is there anything else you’d like to do before you have to return home to wherever it is you come from?” Asked Katherine.

“Well, if it isn’t too much of a nuisance, I would love to go dancing,” Sarah confessed.

“Perfect, it just so happens, some of my friends are throwing a party tonight,” Jack said.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Katherine asked Jack. This slightly concerned Sarah, how bad were Jack’s friends?

“Yeah, I’ll get there earlier because you guys will have to take a cab, I’ll just tell them then,” said Jack. He and Katherine seemed to have a silent conversation for a few seconds, before Katherine finally conceded.

“Fine, we’ll see you there,”


	6. Chapter 6

When Sarah followed Katherine into the party, she was immediately overwhelmed. They entered through a gate into a patio area, and were immediately surrounded by people.

“How many people are here?” Katherine pulled one man aside, who Sarah assumed was the host.

“Not sure, it was an open invite,” he replied. “Who’s your friend?”

“I’m Sarah,” she introduced herself. “Lovely to meet you,”

“You can call me Race,” he said.

“Is that short for something?” Sarah couldn’t help but ask. She was so used to complete formality and fancy names.

“Short for Racetrack,” he said shortly. “Now I’m gonna go find Spot, lemme know if you need anything,”

“Come on, let’s dance,” Sarah said, grabbing Katherine’s hand and dragging her towards the dance floor before she could protest. Sarah once again found herself forgetting about her responsibilities and the life she was avoiding as she and Katherine danced to the loud music for an amount of time she was not sure of. She couldn’t remember the last time that she had actually felt like she was genuinely enjoying herself. She didn’t want to think about having to go back eventually, she wanted to stay with Katherine forever.

The music eventually changed to a slower song, and Katherine tried to leave the dance floor, but was stopped by Sarah grabbing her arm gently. Katherine smiled as Sarah tentatively pulled Katherine closer to her, and they began swaying to the music.

As Katherine breathed in the sweet scent of Sarah’s hair, she felt herself dangerously falling for the Princess. The Princess, who didn’t know she knew, and didn’t know that she was secretly using her to get a good article both to prove herself to her father and for the money.

Her thoughts racing through her head, Katherine found herself stepping away from Sarah, unwrapping her arms from her neck. “I… have to go talk to someone,” Katherine said. Sarah’s face fell, but Katherine didn’t allow herself to dwell on it as she said, “I’ll talk to you later,” and walked off.

Sarah wasn’t left alone for long, as a short boy with dark hair came up and started dancing with her. He introduced himself as Romeo, and Sarah wasn’t sure if that was a given or nickname, but either way it suited him well as he couldn’t stop flirting with her.

In her peripheral, Sarah saw Katherine deep in conversation with Jack, as he once again lit his cigarette. Katherine looked over at her, and they made brief eye contact, before Romeo brought Sarah’s attention back to him.

“You know, if it weren’t for the hair, I’d say you look a lot like the Princess,” Romeo said, pausing to examine Sarah’s face.

“What? Um… no,” Sarah said quickly.

“Relax,” Romeo laughed. “It was just a compliment,”

“Thanks,” said Sarah, realizing that he didn’t know.

Romeo left soon after, and Sarah went to move towards the food table, where Katherine and Jack still stood, but she was stopped by a larger man in a dark suit, who started to dance with her. Even though she had just seen this man, Sarah was immediately uncomfortable.

The man leaned forward and spoke into her ear. “Your Highness,” Sarah froze. He knew. And judging by his demeanor, he was Secret Service. “You will dance quietly towards the entrance. There is a car waiting,”

“No,” was Sarah’s first response. She tried to pull away, but the man grabbed her sharply.

“Your Highness, please,” the man said.

“You, you’ve made a mistake,” Sarah said desperately. “Let me go!” Her voice was beginning to raise, but still the man gripped her arm. “Katherine! Jack!” She hoped desperately that they still stood close enough that they would hear her.

Jack is the first one to reach her, and, seeing the problem, punches the man in the face. He winces in pain, letting Sarah go. “Run!” Jack calls, and Sarah starts off through the crowd, towards Katherine.

She grabs Katherine’s outstretched hand and together they force their way through the crowd, where a few of Jack’s friends have joined in the fight and punched another few secret service men who had shown up.

The fight kept escalating as Sarah and Katherine made their way out as quickly as they could. Sarah felt bad that they were fighting for her, and set herself a mental reminder to ask Katherine to thank them later. She didn’t even know those people, but they were loyal to Jack, so they still fought.

Within a couple of minutes, Sarah and Katherine were out of the crowd and the party, but looking back, Katherine could still see a secret service man trying to push his way through the crowd towards them.

Katherine clutched Sarah’s hand tighter, and began to run, so Sarah ran too. Sarah followed Katherine through the unfamiliar streets, their hands still linked. Heavy footsteps behind them told Sarah without looking that the man still followed them. They rounded a corner, and Katherine pulled Sarah into a small alleyway, where they crouched behind a dumpster.

Finally sure they had lost the secret service man, Katherine and Sarah sat side by side with their backs to the wall, trying to catch their breath. It wasn’t until Sarah looked over at Katherine that she really realized how close they were. They made eye contact once again, though this time much closer.

“If you don’t mind me asking, may I please…” Sarah trailed off, the words dying on her tongue. The way she had been brought up, she was completely unused to situations like these.

“May you what?” Katherine pressed gently, not breaking eye contact.

Sarah looked down. “May I please kiss you?” She asked quietly, her voice almost a whisper.

When she looked up, Sarah had not realized how close Katherine had moved to her, and their lips quickly met. Sarah savored the feeling, the sensation of her first kiss, not that she would ever admit that to Katherine.

Soon enough, _too soon_ , thought Sarah, Katherine pulled away. “We should probably head back to my apartment before one of those men find us,”

Sarah nodded. This day just kept on getting crazier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a few days, but a new chapter yay! This will likely be the second last chapter :(
> 
> Also the last update may take a little bit because I still have three more exams. 
> 
> My tumblr is forgotten-peggy :)


	7. Chapter 7

When they got back to Katherine’s apartment, Sarah was already shivering, and as soon as Katherine noticed she turned on the heater. Katherine sat down on her bed while Sarah stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, unsure of what to do or say.

Katherine leaned over and switched on the radio, and Sarah was glad that there was now something filling the empty silence. That was, until she listened to what they were saying.

“This is the American Hour, from Rome, and we are broadcasting a special news bulletin. Tonight there is no further word of Princess Ann, who was taken ill yesterday. This has given rise to rumors that her condition may be serious, which is causing alarm and anxiety among the people in her country,” The radio presenter continued talking, but Sarah stopped listening. She looked down, knowing she would have to leave soon. She still had responsibilities.

Sarah turned back to Katherine. “I… I will have to go now,” She said quickly, choking back a sob. Within seconds of looking at Katherine’s expression, Sarah broke down, crying, and sat down beside Katherine. Katherine held out her arms and Sarah cried for a moment into her shoulder.

“Sarah, there’s something… There’s something I need to tell you,” Katherine said, wanting to come clean.

“No, please,” Sarah all but begged. In the heat of the moment, she pressed her lips to Katherine’s for the second time that evening. Sarah pulled away quickly, “Please, don’t say anything,”

Katherine drove Sarah through Rome in silence, and Sarah tried her best to take it all in for the last time. The city, the lights, the people, Katherine.

Soon they were streets away from the embassy where Sarah had been staying. “Stop at the next corner, please,” Sarah said, trying not to let herself get emotional again.

Katherine stopped the car, looking over at Sarah in the passenger seat. “I have to leave you now. I’m going to walk to that corner, and turn. You must stay in the car and drive away. Don’t watch me go, just leave me, as I leave you,” Sarah found herself once again choking back sobs.

“Alright,” Katherine spoke solemnly.

“I can’t think of any words, to thank you, or to say goodbye,” Sarah confessed.

“Don’t try,” said Katherine simply, before leaning over and kissing Sarah once again. This kiss was a lot less innocent than the last two, as both Sarah and Katherine knew it would be their last. Pulling away, Sarah leaned against Katherine’s shoulder and cried.

A few seconds of still silence passed, and Sarah knew their time was up. Without looking back, she turned and left the car. She began walking down the street, back to the life she was meant to have, before breaking into a run. She knew she would likely never see Katherine again.

“Sarah!” David was the first one to greet Sarah as she returned to her embassy. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, before turning to greet her brother. “What happened?”

“So much,” Sarah allowed herself to smile a little. “But don’t worry about me, I’m back now,”

“You mustn’t do that again, you had everyone so worried, and you can’t forget your duty-”

“Please,” Sarah cut her brother off. “Don’t use that word again. If I wasn’t completely aware of my duty to my family and my country, I would not have returned tonight,” she paused to think of Katherine, Jack, and his friends. “Or indeed ever again,”

“I understand,” David said quietly. He gave Sarah a quick hug before leaving her alone.

Sarah made her way to her bedroom, where she stood, looking out of the window. She knew she would miss Rome more than any country she had visited.

 

 

Katherine awoke slowly the next morning, not wanting to get to the office and have to face her father. But she still got up, knowing that it would be easier to face him if she at least wasn’t late.

At the office, she quickly greeted Hannah, before entering her father’s office. “Katherine, I trust you have that exclusive Princess article you promised me?” Pulitzer asked.

“There is no story,” she said quietly. After the whole day with Sarah, which had seemed like weeks longer, Katherine couldn’t bring herself to write the article.

“I see,” said Pulitzer. “Well, then maybe you can make it up. The Prince and Princess are having the press conference today, instead, and you will need to get me an article then. Have I made myself clear?”

“Very,” Katherine said, before excusing herself and quickly leaving. She tried to wrap her head around that information. She never thought she’d see Sarah ever again, except maybe occasionally in the news, yet she was going to see her again, today.

Jack met her outside the office, very excited about the pictures which he had printed. “Wait until you see these, Kath, selling them will make us rich!”

“Look, I can’t stop you from selling those pictures, Jack, you’ll get a good price for them,” Katherine said, and Jack’s expression turned to confusion. “But the truth is, there is no article for them to go with, I couldn’t bring myself to write it,”

“Are you going to the press interview?” Jack asked.

“I have to, it’s an assignment,” said Katherine.

“I’ll come with you,”

 

 

Sarah looked out at the sea of press reporters and photographers, already missing her freedom. She had mainly zoned out, leaving David to answer most of the questions, when two figures moving through the crowd caught her eye. Katherine and Jack. They reached the front of the crowd, and Katherine and Sarah locked eyes.

“Photographs may now be taken,” the words of the Master of Ceremonies caused Sarah to look away. Sarah and David stood up as the photographers moved forward, under the rope, and Sarah once again found her eyes drawn to Jack, this time, who was standing in front of the rope, with just his lighter.

She looked him, confused, for a second. It dawned on Sarah as she saw Jack looking into the lighter. It was a secret camera.

The photographers soon retreated, and Sarah turned to the Master of Ceremonies. “I would now like to meet some of the ladies and gentlemen of the press,”

David looked slightly taken aback, but followed her down the steps as she approached the journalists. He greeted the press as she did, a few meters behind.

Minutes passed that felt like hours as Sarah slowly made her way down the line.

She reached Jack first. “Jack Kelly, C.R. Photo Service,” Jack ‘introduced’ himself.

“How do you do?” Sarah asked, smiling as she shook his hand. Jack reached into his pocket, taking out an envelope which he handed to her.

“Er, may I present Your Highness with some commemorative photos of your visit to Rome?” Jack asked. Sarah took the envelope, opening it, before slightly removing the first picture to look at it. It was a photo of her and Katherine, her hand approaching the Mouth of Truth.

 “Thank you so very much,” she said, smiling. Jack smiled, knowing he had done the right thing with his photos.

Sarah paused slightly, before turning to look at Katherine. “Katherine Plumber, American News Service,” she ‘introduced’ herself.

Sarah grabbed Katherine’s hand, their handshake lasting slightly longer than was considered normal. “So happy, Miss Plumber,” Sarah said. She paused, wanting to say something else but not knowing what to say.

Realizing David had caught up to her, she instead said nothing, giving Katherine one last smile that she hoped would convey every emotion she was currently feeling, before turning away.

Finished greeting the press, Sarah gave one final look to the crowd of journalists before she and David left the small stage area. The crowd of press began to disappear, but Katherine couldn’t bring herself to leave, staring instead at where Sarah had been only moments before.

When she was the only one left in the hall, she allowed herself one glance back towards the stage, before walking away. She didn’t look back, not then, but she never forgot that one day or that one Princess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending wasn't very great but I finally finished this! I hope you actually enjoyed it :)
> 
> My tumblr is forgotten-peggy :)


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